13. Zierfische & Aquarium 2010

The 13. Zierfische & Aquarium (Ornamental Fishes & Aquarium) took place again in Duisburg, Germany, with the participation of Aquapress Publishers and Heiko Bleher and over 29,000 visitors came during the 4 days appreciating everything around the most beautiful hobby in the world. Below some photos of this biggest Aquarium fish event around the globe …

Aquapress Publishers, Italy had, like every year, their large stand and Heiko Bleher did his biotope aquariums which everyone wanted to see – a place looked out for all day long by the many visitors (top). And the Aquapress stand was visited my all celebrities, like his friend the living Discus-breeder-legend Jack Wattley, which Tropical had invited to come and give a talk as well as celebrities from Brazil, Mrs. Bettania, also old-time friend and one of the well known ornamental fish exporters (2nd from yop). Nick, from the Greece Discus Association who speaks perfect German (3rd from top with Jack and Heiko). Also a very dear friend from the German Discus association who is one of the few who still has Heiko’s first designed t-shirt with his discovered Green Discus from the Coari region on it (above). It was produced in a very limited number of 99 numbers pieces only and sold out years ago …

The Fischfutter Profi had on his stand not only a huge variety of live fish foods – he is the number one in Germany – but also beautiful Discus from his own natural strains.

Diskuszucht Stendker had his usual stand with the breeding pairs on display, some laying eggs and others with young.

The giant hall, more than 6000 sqm, was filled up specially on the weekend and every major manufacturer of fish foods, aquarium supplies, retailer and wholesaler, mainly from Germany, was present – represented by a retail shop of the region selling all their good, normally with a special discount. Some shops were selling beautiful small plecos and other catfishes as well as characoids and many different shrimps in all colours and prices for Nano-aquariums, which are extreme popular now.

Norbert Zajac had again his giant Container-Aquarium in the centre of the hall, this time decorated with a Central America biotope, including some South American pike cichlids of the genus Crenicichla.

Several stands had decorated aquariums with Discus, some only with plastic ornaments, but some also with nice, nature-like almost biotope correct, decoration for their fishes. And one could also see a few marine aquariums.

Several manufactures are now promoting the LED lamps, the new lights for the aquariums and terrariums – a so-called revolution. And Discus Page Holland had, like on every Discus Championship (it was the 8th), their stand and did live transmission into the world-wide web.

The German based Internationale Gemeinschaft für Barben, Schmerlen, Salmler, Welse E.V. hier represented by Ingo Seidel who is also promoting the bi-annual and 2. Internationale L-Wels-Tage (the L-catfish days for 2011).

The Discus community from the city of Duisburg had some nice Discus aquariums, the Natur Tier Verlag with Germany’s number only Freshwater Aquarium Fish publication Amazonas, had their stand, and one of the largest pet shop chains, Welke, had a nice logo: “For animals only the best”.

There was a nice write-up of a new project to protect the native invertebrates in Germany’s river and lakes, and the Arbeitskreis Zwergcichliden (the community for dwarf cichlids) had, like every year, beautifully decorated aquarium – almost as in nature – for their dwarf cichlids. The trend for authentic biotope aquariums set off by Heiko more than a decade ago is moving fast forward around the globe …

From Turkey many discus lover and breeders came and everyone brought presents, like here Uygar Sanal who gave Heiko a hanger with two eyes for his newly born Amanda Flora Bleher – to watch over her and bring good luck during all her live – and great Greek and Turkish people (who normally have a problem), were very happy together with Heiko, had every evening a great time in the best places of Duisburg and all invited him. It was very special…